Deep Impact (Jpn) (Sunday Silence {USA}) was a racehorse of immense talent and much as his career on the track was decorated, it paled against his phenomenal global influence at stud.
The seven-time Champion Sire of Japan was euthanised early on Tuesday morning, aged 17, after he was unable to stand due to a cervical fracture.
His death has come as a world-wide shock and closer to home left heavy hearts at Arrowfield Stud, whose principal John Messara has forged a successful association with Shadai over the past two decades.
Champion Japanese Sire Deep Impact died on Tuesday
Arrowfield currently stands sons Mikki Isle (Jpn) and Real Steel (Jpn), while Real Impact (Jpn), whose oldest crop are rising two, also shuttled for three seasons.
John Messara says, “We send our warmest sympathy to Shadai Stallion Station, the Yoshida family and indeed, the entire Japanese thoroughbred industry after the death of Deep Impact.
"Deep Impact has brilliantly continued and consolidated the breed-shaping work of his sire Sunday Silence." - John Messara
“A superlative racehorse, a peerless Champion Sire in Japan and an increasingly significant influence around the world, Deep Impact has brilliantly continued and consolidated the breed-shaping work of his sire Sunday Silence.”
Champion racehorse, Champion stallion
Deep Impact was bred by Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm, arriving into the thoroughbred world he was to take by storm in 2002, the same year his legendary sire Sunday Silence (USA) died aged 16. He lived up to his name in spectacular fashion.
Deep Impact first made his mark as a Champion racehorse, winning seven times at Group 1 level in Japan, including the Japanese Triple Crown – the Satsuki Sho, the Tokyo Yushun and the Kikuka Sho.
He became the first unbeaten Triple Crown winner since Symboli Rudolf (Jpn) 21 years earlier.
Deep Impact was a Champion racehorse, idolised by Japanese racing fans
Japan’s Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2006, Deep Impact was soon to top his incredible racing career with an incomparable stud career that would leave an indelible mark on world racing.
He entered stud in Japan in 2007 and was subsequently crowned Japanese Champion Sire in 2012 and every year thereafter, including the current season. He was withdrawn from service earlier this year due to a neck issue.
Last year, his progeny triumphed in Classic races in Japan, England, and France.
Wagnerian (Jpn) took the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Saxon Warrior (Jpn) - now standing at Coolmore Australia - won the British G1 2000 Guineas and Study Of Man (Ire) captured the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby).
Another 3-year-old son Fierement (Jpn) landed the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), and became his sire's sixth individual Grade/Group 1 winner for the crop.
Deep Impact’s best daughter has been two-time Japan Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn), the winner of seven Group 1 features including two editions of the Japan Cup and the Dubai Sheema Classic.
Gentildonna, Deep Impact's best daughter
Immense Australasian appeal
Deep Impact has left 42 individual Group 1 winners world-wide with a stakes winning strike rate of 10.5 percent and 956 winners from 1285 runners at 74.4 per cent. His progeny earnings stand at $643 million.
His pulling power has been evident in more recent years with a steady flow of Australian mares visiting his court, including the dam of the champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), Vegas Showgirl (NZ) (Al Akbar {NZ}) currently in foal to him.
Deep Impact enjoyed a special affinity with mares carrying the blood of Champion Danehill within their first three removes, ensuring the sireline is highly attractive for Australasian breeders.
This combination has been responsible for 11 stakes winners at an impressive SW/Runners strike rate of 15.9 per cent, including the Group 1 winners Mikki Isle, Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Satono Ares (Jpn) and Danon Premium (Jpn).
Video: The Global Impact documentary looks at Japanese racing and breeding, including Deep Impact's influence
Deep Impact is currently represented in Australia by Arrowfield Stud’s pair Mikki Isle and Real Steel, Saxon Warrior at Coolmore and Woodside Park Stud’s Tosen Stardom (Jpn), all Group 1 winners.
In New Zealand, Deep Impact’s Group 1 winning son Satono Aladdin (Jpn) has returned to Rich Hill Stud for his second season from Shadai while Staphanos (Jpn), a Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter, will begin his stud career at Novara Park.
Gallery: six sons of Deep Impact are currently at stud in Australasia
“You have to feel very much for the management and staff at Shadai, it’s very sad,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said. “There’s no doubt Deep Impact was a global powerhouse and I’m sure the whole New Zealand industry is feeling for them.
“I have come to know the team there all pretty well, first through Pentire. When he died they asked me if we’d like to do another stallion with them.
"There’s no doubt Deep Impact was a global powerhouse." - John Thompson
“I half-jokingly said that it would have to be a good one by Deep Impact and sure enough they offered Satono Aladdin, his Group 1 winning son and I couldn’t turn that down.
“It’s a privilege to be standing him and great to have Deep Impact's blood in New Zealand.”
Deep Impact was out of the Group 1 winner Wind In Her Hair (Ire) (Alzao {USA}) , who also finished runner-up to the superstar Balanchine in the G1 English Oaks and was out of Burghclere (GB) (Busted {GB}), a daughter of dual-Classic winner Highclere (GB) (Queens Hussar {GB}), who was owned and bred by HM The Queen.
